Micro fractures

[5akman]

I've purchased quite a bit of basswood from them over this last year with no complaints. I don't however, have much to compare them to as my prior basswood purchases had been from ebay sellers. I do plan on continuing to buy from them as I need material....

[5akman]

After watching numerous Kevin Coates videos on youtube, I purchased a few used wood handled fillet knives off of ebay and shortened them up to about 2.5" - 3" long. I find that one of those plus a 1 1/4" detail knife is all I need for my very basic level of carving.

[5akman]

I'm a life long woodworker and retired high school shop teacher. I've never been great at carving nor sharpening. I've recently started carving on a semi serious level and have just finished about 150 of the "Larry Green designed Happy Christmas Trees" carvings. I've been really frustrated...

[5akman]

For clarification, I'm Lance and in the title of this thread I was referring to Larry Green's Happy Christmas Tree pattern from a few years ago. I wanted to make sure credit for the design went to him!...

[5akman]

Yes, everyone painted and brought one home. I did have someone ask about a "kit" which I guess would be a finished, un painted carving and then the paint to complete. Might be a desirable concept...... ...

[5akman]

Yes, the tangential face is what I'm referring to. I'm wondering if, referencing the pic above, I rotated the stock so that I was cutting 90 degress to the tangential face (as a boat builder, I've always called that the "vertical grain" surface which is normally the edge of say a 1" x...

[5akman]

I'm a beginning carver and got laid up for a few weeks with a bum knee. I found my carving tools, ordered some basswood and camped out in the Costco electric recliner (what a great purchase!). I managed to get about a dozen carved before Christmas and took them to the family get together. I had alerted...

[5akman]

I just finished up 50 of Larry's happy Christmas trees. I was starting with 3" x 3" basswood stock and milling it down on the table and bandsaw. I was milling it so that the "face" grain was the "presentation" surface or, the surface I did the face carving on. I noticed...

[5akman]

Its probably been 2 yrs since I purchased it. I'll try to seal the ends and then maybe keep them in some large zip lock bags in the house from now on. I'd think that would prevent the excessive drying. I did notice last night when working on a carving that after I removed the outer 1/16" or so,...

[5akman]

So a few years ago I purchased a couple dozen 1" x 1" x 8" basswood pieces that have since been stored in the garage. A garage that sees 100+ degree temps in the summer that is! I went and grabbed a piece of stock tonight to start a Simple Santa and the wood was rock hard. How can I...

[5akman]

His face looks just like Santa on the Rudolph Christmas tv show....

[5akman]

10 for less than 3 bucks, can't beat that!...

[5akman]

Looking for a source of frig magnets for some of my small carvings. Seems like "52's" are the strongest in terms of holding power. What diameter and thickness are used? Where are you purchasing them?

[5akman]

I'm trying to resist the temptation to "own them all" when it comes to tools!...

[5akman]

I'm just getting started with whittling some of the small figures in the last Woodcarving magazine (santa and sea captain). I have a flexcut and Pfiel knife but want to get a small gouge and V tool. What size tools are correct for these sized projects?